I Knew a Man Who Knew Brahms

A vivid personal account of a Golden Age in classical music—the second half of the 20th century—providing a rare, behind-the-scenes view of the inner workings of a top symphony orchestra.

Nancy Shear was only fifteen when she began sneaking into Philadelphia Orchestra concerts through the stage door, and seventeen when she was hired as a member of the orchestra’s library staff to help prepare the music; one year later, she became Leopold Stokowski’s musical assistant. Being young and female,...